In case you missed it, the National Environmental Education Week website has a page for Nature Centers according to your state or zipcode. (If you use zipcode, you will get only ones in that zipcode.)A great way to see the state parks and centers that are available in your area!

M of Stuffs About the Duffs pointed out that Barbara Kingsolver has a website for her book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.I have not yet read the book, but look forward to the read!Thanks for the head's up, M, and here's the direct link:Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

Monday, April 14, 2008

There is a registration page for your school - I listed one as "home", and then "the whole wide world" as it's official name if you'd like to play but don't want to register a school or homeschool, or if you'd like to see how we do as a group.

Forgive me if I get overzealous (read: obnoxious) at the beginning of this project - I'm just really excited about it.I wanted to share with you a few of the things I've been thinking - plans, if you will.

I'm excited for us (and others) to be linked together. I personally would love to join Urban Homesteaders someday, but I am eons away from that. This group was a nice middle-ground --er, beginning ground, and I thought it would be nice for us to be able to look to eachother (all in one place) for tips and project ideas.I wanted to share with you a few of the things I've been thinking - plans for the site, if you will.

I thought at first that I would just post a couple of info things, and leave the blog as it was, aside from updating the members, but now I've had a different thought.

I am quite certain that I'll be visiting all of the blogs in this list on a daily basis (since I do, anyway :) ) but I realize that not everyone else will, necessarily.

What I'd like to do I think is when someone writes a particularly great post (whether it be about unschooling/homeschooling, gardening, discoveries in nature, farming, playin' in the mud, whatever) is write a note here to draw attention to it.For instance, Tara at Heartschooling has a blog about Sustainable Living. She posts new ideas every Sunday. (I'm waiting to hear if we can add it to the list - but no pressure, Tara!)orMake sure you visit so-and-so - she made yougurt yesterday, and tells how easy and delicious it was.Or, :), Shelby the Goat had babies!!!I'm half kidding about that, but you see what I mean.

So I think that I shall put in posts sometimes, after all.

I don't intend to use this for writing my own stories - I think my two (blogs) have me covered, but just little snippets of everyone else's stories and moments.Or a mention of a great new find.

If you have any ideas or suggestions for how you would like to see things progress, feel free to speak up.

In living some of life on the outside of doors.In wanting to be a friend to the Earth.That being a child who is familiar and fascinated with rocks, birds, mosses,squirrels, tracks, lizards, bugs, rivers, seashells, frogs, ducks, or mud puddles is aGrand Thing To Be.In enjoying walks in the rain.In snowshoeing on a mountainside.In recycling, and teaching little ones to do so.In servicing the Earth once in a while.That magnifying glasses are important.Perhaps that dirt under the fingernails is always appropriate.In wild bird seed and hummingbird feeders.In hummingbird and butterfly gardens in your backyard.In leaving a couple of weeds in our gardens alone because the beneficial spiderscall them home.In making wishes with dandelions.In birdbaths.In hanging laundry on the line.That homemade cookies are best.In collecting leaves in the fall,gathering colorful rocks out of stream beds in the summertime,putting dandelions in a budvase when they're offered to you,and catching snowflakes on your tongue.In gardening in a way that is friendly to the earth .That raspberries right off the canes are the tastiest.In decorating for winter holidays with strands of cranberries, popcorn,and orange slices for outdoor animal friends.That books long to be read while lying blissfully in the shade of a favorite tree.In going barefoot.In experiencing the morning's first cuppa while sitting in the sun,urging it to warm the earth and our selves.We believe in painting outdoors.In collecting acorns and pinecones.In compost.And earthworms.In visits to the natural history museum.And local farms.In dirty feet and gingham dresses dangling from a tire swing.In catching frogs -or trying to- and chasing lizards.In gathering eggs and patting the nose of your favorite cow every morning...if you're lucky.That it's important to know where the best fishin' is at any time of the year.In open windows.In freckles on noses.

We believe in any or all of these things.We believe in living the best life --according to our own desires and nature.

This idea, Growing Naturally, and all it can entail,can be a bit overwhelming.

The idea of this list is not to make people think that they have to live their livesaccording to someone else's standards.It is not about growing your own cottonto make your own threadto weave your own clothto make your own clothes.(But you certainly can if you want to, and please let the rest of us knowexactly How You Did That, should you decide to do so!)

Growing Naturally is for everyone who wants to be more earth-conscious,who believes in learning about things one finds interesting,dreams of homesteading, farming, or even gardening,loves (even the idea of) nature journaling,enjoys playing in the creek with their babes,and believes that living life under the sunand raincloudsand starsis time well spent.It is for everyone who wants to bring to the world the best part of their True Selves.

We make no requirements of our members,except that you have a love and respectfor our Earth.